To imobth east



April 21, 1931.

w. H. HUTCHINS ET AL 1,301,603

ELECTRIC IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Jan. 2. 1930 nmmww Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. HUTCHINS AND VT CAR-LSON, F RCGHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO NORTH EAST APPLIANCE GOBPORATION, OF BBCI'IESTER,

'IION OF NEW YORK NEW YORK, A CORPORA- ELECTRIC IGNITION SYSTEM Application filed January 2, 1930. Serial No. 418,112.

This invention relates to an electric ignition system particularly adapted for use in connection with four-cylinder, opposed, twocycle engines, such as are commonly used as outboard motors for boats.

In engines of the kind in question the cylinders are fired alternately in pairs, so that it is necessary to produce sparks in two cylinders simultaneously. It has been common to do this by connecting two spark plugs in series, so that upon discharge of an induction coil two sparks are produced. simultaneously, and to use a distributor having one rotary member and two fixed terminals. The object of the present invention is to produce a simple circuitcontrolling arrangement by which the series operation of the spark plugs is avoided, and by which it is made feasible to use two induction coils operating simultaneously, and to distribute the discharges from these two coils in a simple and effective manner.

To the foregoing ends the invention consists in the ignition system hereinafter described, as it is defined in the appended claim. I

The accompanying drawing is a diagram illustrating an ignition system embodying the present invention.

The engine to which the ignition system is applied is shown diagrammatically as having a' crank case 1 and four opposed cylinders 2, 3, 4 and 5, together with crank mechanism so arranged that the pistons in cylinders 2 and 3 move in opposition to each other, and in the opposite directions, re spectively, from the pistons 4 and 5. In this arrangement it will be obvious that the charges in the cylinders 2 and 3 must be fired simultaneously, and that the charges in the cylinders 4 and 5 must also be fired simultaneously but at a point 180 rotational degrees from the point at which cylinders 2 and 3 are fired.

Two ordinary induction or spark coils 6 and 7 are used, these coils being energized by current from a battery 8. The primary circuits are controlled by contact arms 9 and 10 actuated by a cam 11, which may be mounted on or geared to the crank shaft ouslv.

The distributor for the secondary or high tension discharge of the two coils has a circle of six equally spaced stationary terminals. Of these the terminalsg13 and .14, which are diametrically opposite, are

connected, respectively, with the secondary windings of the two coils. Two of the other terminals, 15 and 16, are located both on the same side of the distributor and connected respectively with the spark plugs of the cylinders 2 and 3, while the remaining terminals 17 and 18 are connected with the spark plugs of the cylinders 4 and 5.

In high-tension distributors it is usual to connect the source of high-tension discharge with a central point on the rotor, and to arrange the rotor to conduct the discharge radially to the successive stationary terminals. In the present case, however, the rotor 28, which is connected with and rotated by the crank shaft 12, has no central terminal but is provided, instead, with two insulated conductive members 24 and 25, which act merely as connectors between the stationary terminals. These connectors are so located that at each point where the primary circuits are interrupted the connectors are in a position to interconnect the terminal 13 with one of the other terminals 15 and 17 and to connect the terminal 14 with one of the other connectors 16 and 18. In the position of the parts illustrated in the diagram the pistons in the cylinders 2 and 3 are at the firing point, and the primary circuits of the coils have been broken. The discharge from the coil 6 passes through the terminal 18, the connector 24, the terminal 15 and the wire 19 to the cylinder 2, while the discharge from the coil 7 passes through the terminal 14, the connector 25, the terminal 16 and a wire 20 to the cylinder 3,

thus firing these two cylinders simultaneous- T which the primary circuits are again broken, while the pistons in the cylinders 4: and 5 will have reached the proper position for ignition. At this time the discharge of the 5 coil 6 will be conducted from the terminal 13, through the connector 25, to the terminal 17, and thus, through a wire 21, to the cylinder 4, while the discharge of the coil 7 will be similarly conducted, by ways of a wire 10 22, to the cylinder 5.

The invention claimed is:

An electric ignition system, for an internal-combustion engine having our cylinders fired, in alternate pairs, said system comprising: two sources of high-tension discharges operated simultaneously at each ignition point in the cycle of operation of the engine, a distributor having a circle of six stationary electrodes and a rotor carrying two connectors arranged to interconnect, si-

multaneously, two pairs of said electrodes, two of the electrodes, diametrically opposite, being respectively connected with said sonrees of high-tension discharges, and the other four electrodes being respectively connected with the engine cylinders.

In testimony whereof we hereto affix our signatures.

WILLIAM H. HUT CHINS.

VVILBUR CARLSON. 

